A refrigeration apparatus typically includes a cabinet having an internal storage space accessible through an access opening. A door is hingedly mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the access opening. Known refrigeration apparatus include various systems for mounting shelves or storage bins on the doors. One storage system, shown in Lau, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,544, uses a storage bin mounting system including a pin and hook arrangement for mounting storage bins to vertical dikes in the door.
Another storage system includes horizontal shelves formed in the inner door panel. A trim piece having end caps is snap fit into openings in the vertical dikes. The trim piece usually is one of two types. One type comprises a pair of end caps which snap fit into the openings and which capture an elongate front piece. The horizontal shelf extends frontwardly beyond the dikes to beneath the front piece. This provides an open shelf arrangement which is open between the shelf and the front piece. An alternative design uses a single piece molded trim piece having a bottom wall. The horizontal shelf is flush with the dikes. The bottom wall matches up with the door panel formed shelf to provide a shelf extension. To satisfy all potential purchasers, it is desirable for a manufacturer to provide refrigerator lines using both types of trim pieces. To do so, one must stock inner door panels having different structures to accommodate the different trim pieces.
Additional problems have been found relative to trim pieces which are snap fit into openings in the inner door panel. For example, owing to the various structure used for mounting the same, there is a perception that the end caps are not removable. Also, a side impact on the end cap could cause breakage of the trim piece while the existence of a hole in the dike can spur cracks in the inner door panel. Finally, when a refrigerator door is filled with polyurethane foam during an insulation process for a foamed-in-place door, the foam would leak out of any holes in the inner door panel. This would require steps being taken to prevent the foam from leaking out the holes.
The present invention is intended to overcome one or more of the problems set forth above, in a novel and simple manner.